Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-07-01
HAND-0RGAN GIRL,
BY MATHEWS TRACEY.

BY MATTHEWS TRACEY.
"Come on, Lenore; it will not earn US any
pennies to stand here and shiver."
Lenore picked mp her tambourint, drew
her thin shawl closer about her slight figure,
and followed Luigi, until they cane 10
broad, fine street, and saw at 4 great,
shining, plate-glass window two curly
heads.
Lenore forgot that she was cold and
hungry as she saw the sweet, childish faces
smiling down upon her, and she sang in
way that even surprised herself.
"Come in, little misse.," sale the trim
nurse, who had followed her charges in
their impetuous rush to the DIOR. You
will take your deaths of cold standing in
the draught."
"Wait minute, Ann, till I give the poor
little girl my pennies;" and Stsllaran down
the steps, handed Lenore the money
of candy, and said: "Come again to-mor-
row, for my auntie and my 3ew uncle are
coming, and I want then to hear you
sing"
"Thank you, miss; we'll come" said
Luigi, answering in place Of his compan-
ion, who seemed to have been struck sud-
denly dumb, as she stood With her great,
sad, dark eyes fixed on the sunny, childish
face of the little speaker. "Come now,
Lenore; we must be off,"
Slowly Lenore followed Luigi, strange
feeling Of sorrow tugging at her heart.
Luigi was no relation TO the child; but
in his boyish way he tried to help her in
her tasks, and to shield her if possible
from drawing down upon herself the
padrone's anger.
It was several hours before the pair had
finished their wearisome tramp, and again
turned their steps toward what they called
home. AS they passed an apple-womans
stand young girl pulled IGNORES dress to
attract her attention.
"Here is an apple for you and one for
the boy. Granny told me to give them 10
you, and tell you not to make the padrone
angry with You tonight, as he is in dread
full way with the drink, and something's
gone wrong to make him mad"
Lenore shivered as she listened, and said
to Luigi, Lets run away"
"But he'd find us, and then, when he
brought us back, we'd be worse off than
ever, said Luigi.
81 wish he'd kill me at once!" burst out
Lenore. "Then it would be one hurt and
I'd never feel another"
at is dreadful to die," said Luigi, land
I don't want you to talk that way. 1t
makes shivers run over me.
By this time they were in front of the
door of the tumble-down tenement where
the padrone lived. The sound of his voice
could be distinctly heard, and as the chill
dren listened to his drunken rawlings their
eyes met wistfully, as though each was
hoping to gain courage from the sight of
the others face.
II can't go in. He is in one of his most
T NIL
Bridget AIahones old granny to give us
shelter for the night"
Lenore waited not to hear Luigis answer.
She started OF upon run, and the boy
could only follow her reluctantly, we'll
knowing what the daring act of disobe-
dience would bringto them in the future.
Granny Malone gave them shelter
cheerfully. Her kind old heart ached for
the hapless waits, and she was glad TO
share her supper with them, and to let
them stay under her roof to escape the
fury of their tyrant. But she shook her
head sagely at Bridget after they had fallen
cold, fatigue, and hunger.
"The ould ne'er- do-weel IL make the
childer smart when he gets over the drink"
she said.
"And sure, granny, we'll call in the per.
lice," answered Bridget, belligerently.
"But the old scoundrel has the law on his
side!" was the old woman's reply. "Sure
what can the perlice do thin?"
Morning came as bright and unclouded
as though no sorrow dwelt upon the earth,
Granny Malone gave the children their
breakfast. and started them out at an early
hour, with the caution not to tell the
padrone where they had spent the night,
emphasizing her words with, eff yez do,
honeys, he'll sure come down on me and
make me suffer for it, and then yez can
niver come to me again"
At suitable hour the young musicians
again stationed themselves before the man
sion which held the beautiful children
Stella and May.
At the first sound of the hand-orsan
their curly heads came in sight at the VIM
dow for an instant. Then, in response to
something Stella said, lady and gentle
man came and looked out, and Lenore
commenced TO sing. just at that moment
an interruption came. The padrone had
come out in search of the children; and as
he was still suffering from the effects of the
liquor he had drank the previous night, he
restrain his anger. He caught Lenore
roughly by the arm, and commenced to
question her in q savage tone as to her
whereabouts since he had seen her. In his
excitement he had paid no heed to the fact
that the gentleman had left the window;
and before he knew it, hand was laid
upon his arm, and he turned to confront a
surprised and accusing pair of eyes whose
chances overwhelmed him with sudden
panic and confusion.
cat last, Giacomo, have found you!"
said stern voice. II have searched far
and wide for you; but you'll not elude me
any mora. Here, he said. motioning to q